Israeli-occupied territories

Not to be confused with Status of territories occupied by Israel in 1967.

Map showing the status of Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories as of 2018

Israel has occupied the Palestinian territories and the Golan Heights since the Six-Day War of 1967. It previously occupied the Sinai Peninsula and southern Lebanon as well. Prior to 1967, the Palestinian territories was split between the Gaza Strip controlled by Egypt and the West Bank by Jordan, while the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights are parts of Egypt and Syria, respectively. The Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and the Golan Heights, where Israel had transferred its parts of population there and built large settlements, is the longest military occupation in modern history.

From 1967 to 1981, the four areas were administered under the Israeli Military Governorate, and after the return of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt after the Egypt–Israel peace treaty, Israel effectively annexed the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem in 1980, and brought the rest of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the Israeli Civil Administration.[1]

The International Court of Justice (ICJ),[2] the UN General Assembly,[3] and the UN Security Council all regard Israel as the occupying power for the territories.[4] The ICJ in 2024 ruled that Israel's occupation was illegal and called for Israel to end its "unlawful presence ... as rapidly as possible" and to make reparations to the people of the occupied territories.[5][6] UN Special Rapporteur Richard Falk called Israel's occupation "an affront to international law".[7] The Supreme Court of Israel has ruled that Israel is holding the West Bank under "belligerent occupation".[8][9] However, successive Israeli governments have preferred the term "disputed territories" in the case of the West Bank,[10][11] and Israel likewise maintains that the West Bank is disputed territory.[12]

Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip in 2005. The UN and a number of human rights organizations continue to consider Israel as the occupying power of the Gaza Strip due to its blockade of the territory;[13][14][15][16][17] Israel rejects this characterization.[18]

  1. ^ "The situation in the occupied Arab territories" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-02-27. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference International Court of Justice was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference http://unispal.un.org was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Strongly deplores the continued refusal of Israel, the occupying Power, to comply with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly; Ruth Lapidoth; Moshe Hirsch (1994). The Jerusalem Question and Its Resolution: Selected Documents. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. pp. 351–. ISBN 978-0-7923-2893-3. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Maupas was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Jacob was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Controversial UN expert: If talks fail, Hague should opine on Israel". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2014-01-06.
  8. ^ Beit Sourik Village Council v. The Government of Israel Archived 2022-09-13 at the Wayback Machine. (PDF) . Retrieved on April 4, 2017.
  9. ^ Zarchin, Tomer (July 9, 2012). "Legal Expert: If Israel Isn't Occupying West Bank, It Must Give Up Land Held by IDF". Haaretz. Archived from the original on October 10, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2017. 'If the Levy Committee is pushing the government to determine that Israel's presence in the West Bank does not violate international law, Israel is in a dangerous position facing the rest of the world,' said Sasson this morning to Haaretz. ... 'For 45 years, different compositions of the High Court of Justice stated again and again that international law applies to the West Bank, which is clearly opposed to Levy's findings. This is a colossal turnaround, which I do not think is within his authority. He can tell the government that he recommends changing legal status, and that's all,' said Sasson.
  10. ^ FAQ: The Peace process with the Palestinians – Dec 2009 Archived 2022-05-17 at the Wayback Machine. Mfa.gov.il. Retrieved on 2012-01-15.
  11. ^ From "Occupied Territories" to "Disputed Territories," by Dore Gold Archived 2011-07-09 at the Wayback Machine. Jcpa.org. Retrieved on 2012-01-15.
  12. ^ "Israel, the Conflict and Peace: Answers to frequently asked questions". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 2009-12-30. Archived from the original on 2015-02-19. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  13. ^ "SPOKESPERSON's DAILY HIGHLIGHTS". United Nations. Archived from the original on 8 May 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference AI_briefing was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference isrlpa13698 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference cnn2009-01-06 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ "Israel: 'Disengagement' Will Not End Gaza Occupation". Human Rights Watch. 2004-10-29. Archived from the original on 2015-04-15. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  18. ^ "Ambassador Prosor addresses the UN Security Council". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 2014-07-18. Archived from the original on 2015-02-19. Retrieved 2015-01-24.